Egypt Orders Arrest of Former PM Shafiq

Egyptian authorities order the arrest of Mubarak's last prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq, on charges of corruption.

Elad Benari, 12/09/12 11:37

Ahmed Shafiq

AFP/File

Egyptian authorities ordered on Tuesday the arrest of former President Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq, AFP reported.

Shafiq is suspected of being involved in corruption, judicial sources said. He has been living abroad in the United Arab Emirates since narrowly losing the first post-Mubarak elections to Mohammed Morsi in June.

Shafiq faces corruption charges in a case connected to that of Mubarak's sons Alaa and Gamal. A former air force chief and civil aviation minister, he was named premier in the last days of Mubarak's presidency before Mubarak was overthrown in February last year.

AFP reported that last month, Shafiq slammed the travel restrictions imposed on him as "political." He said he would have no hesitation about flying home if he deemed it necessary.

Meanwhile, officials told AFP that Attorney General Abdel Meguid Mahmud also called for measures to be taken for Shafiq to be placed on Interpol's wanted list.

The Egyptian judiciary did not mention any extradition request, saying only that he would be arrested if he set foot back in Egypt.

The case involving Shafiq relates to the sale of a vast swathe of land below market price to an association of military pilots. The accusations emerged during his presidential election campaign.

Alaa and Gamal Mubarak were acquitted in a trial in which their father was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of protesters during the uprising that toppled him. The two remain in custody, however, awaiting trial on other corruption charges.